Tom Petty named 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year

Three-time GRAMMY winner to be honored for his creative accomplishments and artist advocacy and charitable work; GRAMMY Week gala to take place in Los Angeles Feb. 10, 2017

GRAMMYs

May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

Tom Petty will be honored as the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, two nights prior to the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Proceeds from the 27th annual benefit gala dinner and concert will provide essential support forMusiCares, which ensures music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.

A three-time GRAMMY winner, Petty is being honored in recognition of his significant creative accomplishments, his career-long interest in defending artists' rights and the charitable work he has undertaken throughout his career, which has notably focused on the homeless population in Los Angeles.

"Tom burst into our musical consciousness and never let go," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and MusiCares. "His brand of rock and roll benefits from a celebratory rebelliousness, infectious rhythms and unforgettable lyrics that are incised in our imaginations. His artistic talents coupled with his quiet philanthropy make him a great MusiCares Person of the Year honoree, and we are very fortunate to have the support of our Board, past honorees and the musical community around this special event."

"I am so very pleased to be honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year. I have so much respect for this organization, which really does care about the people in our industry," said Petty. "I myself know many people who MusiCares has aided in desperate situations. Again, let me say this is a true honor."

"Tom Petty is an icon whose incomparable artistry has provided inspiration to fans and musicians all over the world," said Alexandra Patsavas, Chair of the MusiCares Foundation Board. "To honor him with this tribute is so fitting, and we certainly look forward to an exciting and extraordinary evening."

A Songwriters Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Petty has won GRAMMYs for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for 1989 for Traveling WilburysVolume One, a collaboration with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison; Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for 1995 for "You Don't Know How It Feels"; and Best Long Form Music Video for 2008 for the documentary Runnin' Down A Dream. In each of his five decades as a recording artist, Petty has charted albums in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200. His most recent recording with Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, 2014's Hypnotic Eye, entered at No. 1.

The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute ceremony is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY Week. The celebration culminates with the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017. The telecast will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Tom Petty

Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images

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Benmont Tench On Life After Tom Pettyits-hard-and-its-still-hard-heartbreakers-keyboardist-benmont-tench-life-after-tom

"It's hard. And it's still hard": The Heartbreakers Keyboardist Benmont Tench On Life After Tom Petty

The classic-rock titan passed away in October of 2017, but his legacy lives on through his longtime bandmates in the Heartbreakers and his daughters, Adria and Annakim

Rachel Brodsky

GRAMMYs

Feb 28, 2019 - 6:59 am

American classic-rock hero Tom Petty passed away in October of 2017, just one week after his final 40th anniversary tour date at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. But his music and legacy live on: Last fall saw the release of a Petty rarities album called An American Treasure, and on March 1, another collection will be released. The Best of Everything: The Definitive Career Spanning Hits Collection 1976-2016 features 38 songs from Petty's recordings with the Hearbreakers, his early '70s project Mudcrutch and his solo recordings.

Speaking to Billboard about the rocker's legacy, Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench elaborated on losing his friend and how he continues to cope with the sudden loss (Petty died of cardiac arrest). "It's hard to just realize, I suppose, that I'm not gonna get to play with that guy," he said. "I'm not gonna get to make that sound. He's not gonna show me a new song. I'm not gonna be at the Clubhouse and start playing an Elmore James song and he'll fall in and know every word. That's not gonna happen—and I really, really miss that."

Tench also called out the differences between both new Petty compilations, the second of which arrives tomorrow: "(The Best of Everything) is more for the fan who loves the band but is a casual fan," he said. "And if this rings somebody's bell, then An American Treasure is where to go to get deeper. And, of course, for every song on this greatest hits there's an album that goes with it, so they can go there, too."

Petty's daughters Adria and Annakim Petty also spoke to Billboard about keeping their dad's legacy alive, though they admitted that they had decided to take a break from releasing anything too soon after The Best Of Everything.

"I think we're going to take a beat after this and let this record come out and do justice to the finest work our dad did and sort of being the journey of trying to be the messengers and ambassadors of this work and this band," Adria said. "Personally I'm hoping we're not releasing anything for a little while so we get a chance to digest what happened. We have such a rich archive; We want to follow the spirit and the ethics our father believed in and be real decent about how we steward this really huge gift he gave us."

Petty earned MusiCares' Person Of The Year accolade in 2017 and won three GRAMMYs over the course of his career. He was nominated for 18 GRAMMYs as a solo artist and won one GRAMMY award with the Heartbreakers, along with being nominated for five.

"Tom Petty Weekend" Celebrated In Home Town Of Gainesville, Fla.

Remembering the departed rocker on his birthday with a special tribute at the newly dubbed "Tom Petty Park" he ran in as a boy

Philip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Oct 22, 2018 - 12:07 pm

This weekend the town of Gainesville, Fla., observed a "Tom Petty Weekend" filled with remembrance of the rock icon, who grew up a block away from what was formerly known as Northeast Park. Born on Oct. 20, 1950, Petty passed away on Oct. 2, 2017. Among the weekend's festivities, on Saturday — the day Petty would have turned 68 — his boyhood get-away was officially renamed "Tom Petty Park."

Oct 3, 2017 – 2:01 pm

Recording Academy Remembers Tom Petty

"My brother and I grew up in this park," said his younger brother Bruce. "We played as kids. My cousin reminded me the other day of my remark that it was a sanctuary, and it really was."

At another one of Gainesville's public spaces — Depot Park — "The Tom Petty Birthday Bash" sparked memories as bands celebrated the singer/songwriter's extensive catalog, raising funds benefiting the University of Florida's Arts In Medicine Program. Additionaly, local artists painted an 8' x 8' mural of Petty on a wall at the elementary school he attended and reproduced the mural on canvas for auction.

"Gainesville is an extraordinary place and if you listen to my dad's music here, it has a different meaning," said his daughter Adria. "The idea of the air smelling good and the trees are green — there is nothing like this park to really illustrate that."

On Friday and Saturday, local venue Heartwood Soundstage observed "Tom Petty Weekend" with performances by 14 bands, including the Bayjacks, which features Petty's former Mudcrutch bandmate Tom Leadon.

Other observances included artisanal beers brewed for the occasion and special tours by History Bike Gainesville. A testament to the power of Petty's music to unite, the town spent "Tom Petty Weekend" embodying the joy he created, together.

Tom Petty Box Set To Feature 63 Unreleased Recordings

'An American Treasure' will be released in September, adding to the rocker's body of work that has already become audible memories for millions

Philip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Jul 11, 2018 - 3:57 pm

When Tom Petty passed away at age 66 in October 2017, millions felt the grief of his loss while experiencing gratitude for the many heartfelt rock songs Petty gave us over the decades. Now, new thanks can be directed to Petty for his carefully maintained musical vault of unreleased masters, and also to his family and collaborators for curating a selection for release. On Sept. 28, a four-CD boxed set titled An American Treasure will make these precious recordings available, and a first taste from 1982 has been already been unveiled, a previously unreleased song called "Keep A Little Soul."

The collection was compiled by Petty's widow Dana, daughter Adria, Heartbreaker bandmates Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, and engineer Ryan Ulyate. A two-CD version will also be released, but the 63-song tracklist for the fuller version — filled with alternate takes, unheard compositions and exceptional live performances — could start fans saving their pennies now for the more comprehensive offering.

In early 2017 Petty was named MusiCaresPerson Of The Year and musicians including the Foo Fighters and Norah Jones performed at his tribute ceremony. Jackson Brown commented that "all these songs are a part of me." The Lumineerspraised Petty for his "universality," for writing songs that "feel eternal," and said they felt like they were "kindred spirits" with him. They singled out his B-sides as belonging on any other artist's greatest hits album. It's in that spirit that music lovers look forward to unreleased gems from his vault.

The tracklist for An American Treasure contains live versions of classic titles such as "Breakdown," "I Won't Back Down" and "Into The Great Wide Open," in addition to the unearthed rarities. Songwriters, musicians, fans and new listeners alike are all bound to pore over his family's curated selection, a new legacy following the iconic body of work filled to the brim with Petty's against-the-odds rock spirit.

Following a rousing performance of the piano ballad "Birds" from After The Goldrush, Young informed the gathered crowd that he planned to bring his "brother" up on stage. Moments later, out walked Stephen Stills. Prior to joining up with David Crosby and Graham Nash to form Crosby Stills and Nash, Stills worked closely with Young as co-founding members of Buffalo Springfield.

After the pair played a brief, tight set incorporating such favorites as "Long May You Run," "For What It's Worth" and "Mr. Soul," the duo became a trio as Patti Smith walked onstage to join them for "People Have The Power."

Prior to joining Young for his own surprise performance, Stills brought out a few unexpected guests of his own during a previous set, as Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Steve Ferrone of the Heartbreakers took the stage together for the first time since the passing of their onetime band leader Tom Petty. Together with Stills, the band treated the audience to a rendition of "I Won't Back Down," that served as an impromptu tribute to their fallen friend.

Light Up The Blues was originally founded by Stills and his wife Kristen as a fund-raising effort to benefit Autism research. Since its inception, the concert has traditionally featured strong lineups of classic musicians, actors and stand-up comedians. Jack Black has hosted the event for all five iterations.

Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.